Case definitions of diseases and syndromes under surveillance : Case definitions of diseases and syndromes under surveillance IDSP training module for state and district surveillance officers
Module 5 www.medicos11.com
Learning objectives : Learning objectives Describe why case definitions for diseases are crucial for disease surveillance
List the diseases/syndromes under surveillance in state and define what is probable /suspected /confirmed case
List laboratory criteria for the diseases under surveillance
Describe correctly why trigger levels are specified and the response to trigger level 1 and 2
Key principles of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme : Key principles of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Monitor a limited number of health conditions
Integrate surveillance activities under various programmes
Use laboratories in surveillance
Set up of district and state surveillance units
Involve private sector and medical colleges
Take advantage of information technologies
Types of case definitions in use : Types of case definitions in use More specificity
Rationale for the use of case definitions : Rationale for the use of case definitions Uniformity in case reporting at district, state and national level
Use of the same criteria by reporting units to report cases
Compatibility with the case definitions used in WHO recommended surveillance standards
Allow international information exchanges
Levels of case definitions : Levels of case definitions Suspect case
A case that meets the clinical case definition
Probable case
A suspect case that is diagnosed by a medical officer
Confirmed case
A suspect case that is laboratory confirmed
Epidemiologically linked case : Epidemiologically linked case The patient had contact with one or more persons who:
Have/had the disease
Have been exposed to a point source of infection
Transmission of the agent by the usual modes of transmission is plausible
Triggers : Triggers Threshold for diseases under surveillance that trigger pre-determined actions at various levels
Based upon the number of cases in weekly report
Trigger levels depend on:
Type of disease
Case fatality (Death / case ratio)
Number of evolving cases
Usual trend in the region
Levels of response to different triggers : Levels of response to different triggers
Conditions under regular surveillance : Conditions under regular surveillance
Other conditions under surveillance : Other conditions under surveillance
Malaria: Clinical case description : Malaria: Clinical case description Any patient with fever with any of the following:
Chills, sweating, jaundice or splenomegaly
Convulsions, coma, shock, pulmonary edema and death may be associated in severe cases
Laboratory criteria for malaria diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for malaria diagnosis Demonstration of malaria parasite on blood film
Positive rapid diagnostic test for malaria
Malaria case classification : Malaria case classification Suspect
Any case of fever
Probable
Case that meets the clinical case definition
Confirmed
A suspected/probable case that is laboratory-confirmed
Malaria: Outbreak definition* : * State may set their own triggers Malaria: Outbreak definition* Trigger 1
Single case of smear positive in an area where malaria was not present for a minimum of three months
Slide positivity rate doubling over last three months
Single death from clinically /microscopically proven malaria
Single falciparum case of indigenous origin in a free region
Trigger 2:
Two fold rise in malaria in the region over last 3 months
More than five cases of falciparum of indigenous origin
Cholera: Clinical case description : Cholera: Clinical case description In an area where the disease is not known to be present
Severe dehydration or death from acute watery diarrhoea in a patient aged 5 years or more
In an area where cholera is endemic
Acute watery diarrhea, with or without vomiting in a patient aged 5 years or more
In an area where there is a cholera epidemic
Acute watery diarrhoea, with or without vomiting, in any patient
Laboratory criteria for cholera diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for cholera diagnosis Isolation of Vibrio cholera O1 or O139 from stools in any patient with diarrhea
Cholera case classification : Cholera case classification Suspect case
A case that meets the clinical case definition
Probable case
A suspect case that is diagnosed by the medical officer
Confirmed case
A suspected case that is laboratory- confirmed
Cholera: Outbreak definitions : Cholera: Outbreak definitions Trigger 1
A single case of cholera / epidemiologically linked cases of diarrhea
A case of severe dehydration / death due to diarrhea in a patient of >5 years of age
Clustering of cases in a particular village / urban ward where more than 10 houses have at least one case of loose stools irrespective of age per 1000 population
Trigger 2
More than 20 cases of diarrhea in a village/geographical area of 1000 population
Typhoid fever: Clinical case description : Typhoid fever: Clinical case description Any person with fever for >1 week
Any TWO of the following:
Toxic look
Coated tongue
Relative bradycardia
Splenomegaly
Laboratory criteria for diagnosis of typhoid fever : Laboratory criteria for diagnosis of typhoid fever Serology
Typhi dot / Widal test positive
Isolation of organism from clinical specimen (blood)
Typhoid fever: Case classification : Typhoid fever: Case classification Probable case
Case of fever diagnosed by medical officer that is compatible with:
Clinical case description
Typhi dot/Widal test positive
Epidemiological link to a confirmed case
Confirmed case
Probable case that is laboratory confirmed by:
Isolation of S. typhi/ S. paratyphi from blood
Four fold rise in antibody titres in paired sera 10 days apart
Typhoid fever: Outbreak definitions : Typhoid fever: Outbreak definitions Trigger 1
More than 30 cases in a week from the entire primary health centre area
5 or more cases per week from one sub-centre of 5,000 population
More than 2 cases from a single village/urban ward/1000 population
Clustering of cases of fever
Trigger 2
More than 60 cases from a primary health centre or more than 10 cases from a sub-center
Tuberculosis: Case classification : Tuberculosis: Case classification Suspect
Any person with cough >3 weeks
Probable
Patient with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis (cough >3 wks with or without fever) diagnosed by medical officer as tuberculosis with or without radiological signs consistent with pulmonary tuberculosis
Confirmed
A case that meets clinical case definition and that is positive for laboratory criteria
Measles clinical case definition : Measles clinical case definition Any person with
Fever
Maculo-papular rash lasting for more than 3 days
Cough or coryza or conjunctivitis
Laboratory criteria for measles diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for measles diagnosis Presence of measles specific IgM antibodies
Isolation of measles virus
At least a four fold increase in antibody titres
Measles: Case classification : Measles: Case classification Suspect
Any case with fever and rash
Probable
Suspect case who is diagnosed as measles by medical officer on basis of clinical case description
Confirmed
A probable case that is:
Laboratory confirmed
Linked epidemiologically to a laboratory confirmed case
Polio: Clinical description of acute flaccid paralysis : Polio: Clinical description of acute flaccid paralysis Any child:
Aged <15 years
Acute onset of flaccid paralysis for which no obvious cause (such as serve trauma or electrolyte imbalance) is found
OR:
Paralytic illness in a person of any age in which polio is suspected
Laboratory criteria for polio diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for polio diagnosis Isolation of a wild poliovirus from stool specimen
Polio case classification : Polio case classification Suspect
Syndromic case of acute flaccid paralysis
Probable
Epidemiologically linked case
Confirmed
Suspected case that is laboratory confirmed
Polio trigger : Polio trigger Even a single case will trigger outbreak investigations
Plague: Clinical case description : Plague: Clinical case description Rapid onset of fever,chills, headache, severe malaise with:
Bubonic form:
Extreme painful swelling of lymph nodes in axilla, groin and neck (bubos)
Pneumonic form:
Cough with blood stained sputum, chest pain and dyspnea
Septicemic form:
Toxic changes in patient
Laboratory criteria for plague diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for plague diagnosis Giemsa smear positive
Direct fluorescent antibody testing of smears
PCR test
4 fold increase in antibody titres against F1 antigen
Isolation of the bacteria by culture
Criteria to define a probable case of plague : Criteria to define a probable case of plague A case consistent with clinical case description with history of rat fall
Y.pestis F1 antigen detected in clinical materials by direct fluorescent antibody testing or by some other standardized antigen detection method
Isolate from a clinical specimen demonstrates biochemical reactions consistent with Y.pestis or PCR positivity
A single serum specimen is found positive for diagnostic levels of antibodies to Y.pestis F1 antigen, not explainable on the basis of prior infection or immunization with an epidemiological link with a confirmed case
Criteria to define a confirmed case of plague : Criteria to define a confirmed case of plague Probable case that is laboratory-confirmed
Isolate identified as Y. pestis by phage lysis or cultures
OR
A significant (4-fold) change in antibody titres to the F1 antigen in paired serum specimens
Plague: Triggers : Plague: Triggers Trigger 1
Rat fall
Trigger 2
At least 1 probable case of plague in community
Japanese encephalitis: Clinical case description : Japanese encephalitis: Clinical case description Febrile illness of variable severity associated with neurological symptoms ranging from headache to meningitis or encephalitis
Symptoms can include:
Headache, fever, meningeal signs, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, paresis (generalized), hypertonia, loss of coordination
The encephalitis cannot be distinguished clinically from other central nervous system infections
Presumptive laboratory criteria for Japanese encephalitis diagnosis : Presumptive laboratory criteria for Japanese encephalitis diagnosis Detection of an acute phase anti-viral antibody response through one of the following:
Elevated and stable serum antibody titres of JE virus through ELISA, hemagglutination or virus neutralization assay
IgM antibody to the virus in serum (Appears after 1 week of disease)
Confirmatory laboratory criteria for Japanese encephalitis diagnosis : Confirmatory laboratory criteria for Japanese encephalitis diagnosis Detection of JE virus, antigen or genome in tissue, blood or other body fluid by immuno-chemistry or immuno-fluorescence or PCR,
JE virus-specific IgM in the CSF
Fourfold or greater rise in JE virus-specific antibody in paired sera through IgM /IgG, ELISA, haemagglutination inhibition test or virus neutralization test
Japanese encephalitis: Case classification : Japanese encephalitis: Case classification Suspect
Any case with fever of acute onset and altered consciousness/ convulsions and change in behaviour
Probable
Any suspected cases diagnosed as Japanese encephalitis by the medical officer
Any suspect case with presumptive laboratory results
A case of fever epidemiologically linked with a proven Japanese encephalitis case
Confirmed
A suspect or probable case confirmed by confirmatory laboratory tests
Japanese encephalitis: Triggers : Japanese encephalitis: Triggers Trigger 1
Clustering of two or more similar case from a locality in one week
Trigger 2
More than four cases from a PHC (30,000 population) in one week
Dengue fever: Clinical case description : Dengue fever: Clinical case description An acute febrile illness of 2-7 days duration with 2 or more of the following:
Headache
Retro-orbital pain
Myalgia
Arthralgia
Rash
Hemorrhagic manifestations
Leucopenia
Probable case classification of Dengue fever : Probable case classification of Dengue fever A case diagnosed by medical officer as Dengue fever based on the clinical case definition
OR
A case with fever with blood negative for malaria and not responding to anti-malarials
WITH
Supportive serology (reciprocal hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titre, comparable IgG EIA titre or positive IgM antibody test in late acute or convalescent-phase serum specimen)
Epidemiological link with a confirmed case
High vector density
Confirmed case of Dengue fever : Confirmed case of Dengue fever Isolation of the dengue virus from serum, plasma, leukocytes or autopsy samples
Demonstration of a four fold or greater change in reciprocal IgG or IgM antibody titres to one or more dengue virus antigens
Demonstration of dengue virus antigen in autopsy tissue
Detection of viral genomic sequences in autopsy tissue, serum or CSF samples
Dengue hemorrhagic fever : Dengue hemorrhagic fever Probable or confirmed case of Dengue fever with
One or more criteria of hemorrhagic tendency
Positive tourniquet test
Petichiae, ecchymoses or purpura
Bleeding from mucosa / GIT/ injection site
Thrombocytopenia
Evidence of plasma leakage as manifested by:
Pleural effusion
Ascitis
Hypo-proteinemia
Dengue shock syndrome : Dengue shock syndrome A case of Dengue hemorrhagic fever
AND
Evidence of circulatory failure manifested by rapid and weak pulse and narrow pulse pressure (<20 mmHg) or hypotension
Dengue: Triggers : Dengue: Triggers Trigger 1
Clustering of two similar case of probable Dengue fever in a village
Single case of Dengue hemorrhagic fever
Trigger 2
More than four cases of Dengue fever in a village with population of about 1000
Acute viral hepatitis: Clinical case description : Acute viral hepatitis: Clinical case description Acute jaundice (Yellow sclera/skin)
Dark urine
Anorexia, malaise
Extreme fatigue
Right upper quadrant tenderness
Laboratory criteria for acute viral hepatitis diagnosis : Laboratory criteria for acute viral hepatitis diagnosis HAV
IgM HAV
HBV
Positive for HBsAg and IgM anti-HBc
HCV
Positive anti-HCV
HDV
Positive for HBsAg and anti-HDV
HEV
Positive for IgM HEV
Acute viral hepatitis: Case classification : Acute viral hepatitis: Case classification Suspect
As per clinical definition
Confirmed
A suspect case that is laboratory confirmed
For hepatitis A/E, a case compatible with the clinical description and with epidemiological link with a laboratory confirmed case of hepatitis A/E.
Laboratory criteria for the diagnosis of HIV infection : Laboratory criteria for the diagnosis of HIV infection HIV positive serology (ELISA)
Confirmation with a second ELISA
Syndromes under surveillance : Syndromes under surveillance Fever
Cough
Diarrhea
Acute flaccid paralysis
Jaundice
Unusual syndrome causing
death/ hospitalization
Fever : Fever Fever less than 7 days with:
Rash and coryza or conjunctivitis (suspected measles)
Altered sensorium (suspected Japanese encephalitis or malaria)
Convulsions (suspected Japanese encephalitis )
Bleeding from skin, mucus membrane, vomiting blood or passing fresh blood or black motion (suspected Dengue)
With none of the above (suspected malaria)
Fever > 7 days
Suspected typhoid
Triggers
More than 2 similar case in the village (1000 Population)
Cough : Cough Short duration (Cough < 3 weeks)
Suspected acute respiratory tract infection
Longer duration (Cough of > 3 weeks)
Suspected tuberculosis
Diarrhea : Diarrhea Any new case of watery diarrhea
Passage of 3 or more loose / watery stools in 24 hours
With or without dehydration
Total duration of illness < 14 days
Trigger
More than 10 houses with diarrhea in a village or urban ward or a single case of severe dehydration or death in a patient > than 5 years with diarrhea
Jaundice : Jaundice A new patient with an acute illness (<4 weeks) and following symptoms:
Jaundice, dark urine
Anorexia, malaise, fatigue
Pain in abdomen (right upper quadrant)
Trigger
More than two cases of jaundice in different houses irrespective of age in a village or 1000 population
Acute flaccid paralysis : Acute flaccid paralysis A case of acute flaccid paralysis is defined as any child:
Aged <15 years
Has acute onset of flaccid paralysis for which no obvious cause is found
Trigger
Single case of AFP
Points to remember (1/2) : Points to remember (1/2) The list of diseases under surveillance must always be remembered
The diseases for which vertical programmes are operative should be clearly known
Case definitions are crucial in accurately identifying the epidemic at the earliest
Trigger levels are important in initiating response activities
Points to remember (2/2) : Points to remember (2/2) Laboratory confirmation is not mandatory to initiate rapid response measures but specimens should be collected as soon as possible
Clinical syndromes should be identified
Method of transmission of diseases should be identified
Different surveillance methods for the different conditions should be clearly understood